This guide helps you write an Automation Engineer cover letter with examples and ready-to-use templates. You will find a clear structure, key elements to include, and practical tips to tailor your letter to each job.
View and download this professional resume template
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💡 Pro tip: Use this template as a starting point. Customize it with your own experience, skills, and achievements.
Key Elements of a Strong Cover Letter
Start with your name, phone number, email, and a LinkedIn or GitHub link if relevant. Add the employer name and job title you are applying for so your letter reads as personalized and easy to reference.
Lead with a concise sentence that explains why you are a strong fit for this automation role. Mention a recent accomplishment or a specific part of the job posting you are excited about to capture attention quickly.
Showcase 1 or 2 concrete results from your automation work, such as reduced test time, increased throughput, or successful deployment of a CI pipeline. Use numbers and tools when possible so hiring managers can see the impact of your work.
End with a short statement that summarizes your fit and states your next step, such as requesting an interview or offering to provide sample scripts or a portfolio. Keep the tone confident and polite to encourage follow up.
Cover Letter Structure
1. Header
Include your full name, phone, email, and a link to your professional profile. On the next line add the company name, hiring manager if known, and the job title you are applying for so the document is clearly addressed.
2. Greeting
Open with a personalized greeting when possible, such as Dear Ms. Patel or Hello Hiring Team if no name is listed. Mention the role title in the greeting to reinforce relevance and to make your letter easy to file.
3. Opening Paragraph
Start with a brief hook that explains why you are excited about this Automation Engineer role and why you fit the position. Reference a key requirement from the job description or a recent project that aligns with the role to make the opening specific.
4. Body Paragraph(s)
Use one or two short paragraphs to summarize your most relevant achievements and technical skills, such as test automation frameworks, scripting languages, or CI tools. Focus on outcomes you drove, include numbers when you can, and tie each point back to how you will help the company meet its goals.
5. Closing Paragraph
Finish with a polite closing paragraph that restates your interest and invites next steps, such as an interview or a technical discussion. Offer to share code samples, project links, or a portfolio to support your claims and make follow up easy.
6. Signature
Use a friendly professional sign off such as Sincerely or Best regards followed by your full name. Below your name include your phone number and a link to your portfolio or GitHub so the hiring manager can contact you quickly.
Dos and Don'ts
Tailor the letter to the job by echoing keywords and responsibilities from the posting. This helps your application pass initial screens and shows you read the job description carefully.
Quantify your achievements with numbers like percentage improvements or time saved to make impact clear. Concrete results help hiring managers compare candidates more easily.
Mention the automation tools and languages you used, such as Selenium, Python, Jenkins, or Robot Framework, and link to sample code when possible. This gives evidence of hands-on experience for technical reviewers.
Keep the letter concise, ideally under 300 to 400 words, so readers see key information quickly. Use short paragraphs and active language to make your points easy to scan.
Proofread carefully and confirm the company and role names are correct before sending. A clean, accurate letter shows attention to detail which is essential for engineering roles.
Do not repeat your resume line by line since the letter should add context to your achievements. Use the cover letter to explain why those achievements matter for this job.
Avoid vague statements like I am a hard worker without examples or metrics to support the claim. Concrete examples communicate ability more effectively than general praise.
Do not include unrelated personal details or life stories that do not connect to the role. Keep the focus on professional skills and results that matter to the employer.
Avoid long dense paragraphs that are hard to skim since hiring managers often skim early. Break content into short paragraphs to make your letter easier to read.
Do not overstate your role or claim full ownership of team achievements without clarification. Be honest about your contributions and what you learned from collaborative work.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using a generic greeting or sending the same letter to multiple companies without edits causes your application to feel impersonal. Always customize at least the company name and one specific detail.
Forgetting to mention the specific tools or languages from the job posting makes it harder for technical reviewers to see fit. Mirror key technologies when they genuinely match your experience.
Including technical jargon without context can confuse nontechnical HR screeners so explain what your work achieved in plain terms as well. Focus on outcomes as well as methods.
Submitting a letter with typos or the wrong company name signals a lack of attention to detail and can end your candidacy early. Have someone else read it or use a careful proofreading process.
Practical Writing Tips & Customization Guide
Lead with a measurable result in the opening line when possible to grab attention and set a performance tone. A crisp outcome helps your letter stand out in the first few seconds.
Use a brief STAR style sentence to describe a challenge, your action, and the result for one key example to show problem solving. This keeps the story focused and easy to follow.
Match your tone to the company culture by reviewing their site and job posting so your voice feels aligned with the team. A slightly more technical tone is fine for engineering teams, while a softer tone may work better for cross functional roles.
Attach or link to a small portfolio of scripts, test plans, or CI configurations to let hiring managers verify your claims quickly. Real artifacts are often the fastest way to demonstrate technical competence.
Cover Letter Examples
Example 1 — Career changer (Mechanical → Automation Engineer)
Dear Ms.
After six years as a mechanical engineer, I’m pivoting into automation because I enjoy solving control and repeatability problems. In my last role I led a conveyor redesign that cut downtime by 22% and wrote Python scripts to analyze vibration data, spotting issues 2 weeks before failure.
I’ve completed a 12-week PLC course (Siemens S7) and automated three test procedures using an Arduino and Modbus to validate sensor calibration, reducing manual checks by 60%.
I’m excited about the Automation Engineer role at ForgeParts because you mentioned improving line throughput by 15% in your Q3 goals. I can contribute immediately by mapping existing PLC logic, writing test suites, and implementing data collection dashboards in Grafana.
I work closely with cross-functional teams and I’m comfortable on the shop floor and in the lab.
I’d welcome a 20–30 minute conversation to review how my hands-on controls experience and scripting skills can help meet your throughput targets.
Sincerely, A.
What makes this effective: shows measurable impact, lists concrete tools, ties skills to the employer’s stated goal.
Cover Letter Examples (continued)
Example 2 — Recent graduate
Dear Hiring Manager,
I graduated with a B. S.
in Mechatronics from State University, where I completed a 6-month internship at OptiTest Automations. There I automated regression tests with Python and PyTest, cutting manual test time from 40 hours to 16 hours per sprint (a 60% reduction).
I also implemented a Jenkins pipeline to run nightly hardware-in-the-loop tests and wrote validation scripts that improved test coverage from 68% to 92%.
In class projects I built a ROS-based mobile platform that navigates using LIDAR and PID velocity control; I authored the motor driver interface and reduced drift by 30%. I’m familiar with PLC programming (Allen-Bradley) and SQL for telemetry storage.
I’m eager to bring my test automation and control experience to the Automation Engineer role at Nova Robotics. I’m available for an interview any weekday morning and can provide a short demo of my ROS project.
Best regards, Jordan Kim
What makes this effective: highlights internships, precise metrics, technical stack, and offers a demo.
Cover Letter Examples (continued)
Example 3 — Experienced professional (Senior Automation Engineer)
Dear Mr.
I bring 8 years building automation systems for manufacturing lines, most recently leading a six-person team that delivered a MES integration and CI/CD pipeline for embedded firmware. That project cut release cycle time from 10 weeks to 5 weeks (50%) and reduced post-release defects by 35% through automated hardware regression and staged rollouts.
My technical toolbox includes Rockwell PLCs, Python, Docker, Jenkins, and OPC UA. I design test frameworks that simulate 1,000+ device states and wrote firmware test harnesses that run on a cloud-backed lab, enabling 24/7 regression runs.
I also mentor junior engineers—three of whom were promoted last year.
At Meridian Manufacturing I’d focus first on mapping your current test coverage gaps, then implement prioritized automation that delivers measurable returns within 90 days. I welcome the chance to review your roadmap and propose a phased plan.
Sincerely, Priya Desai
What makes this effective: leadership + measurable outcomes, specific tech, and a clear 90-day plan.
Writing Tips
1. Open with a specific achievement.
Start with a one-sentence metric—e. g.
, “I reduced downtime by 22%”—to grab attention and show value immediately.
2. Mirror the job posting language.
Use 2–4 exact keywords from the posting (e. g.
, PLC, Jenkins, OPC UA) so recruiters and ATS see the match.
3. Use the problem → action → result format.
Describe the issue, the steps you took, and the measurable outcome to make accomplishments concrete.
4. Keep it one page and focused.
Limit to 3 short paragraphs: hook, evidence, and closing with next steps to respect a hiring manager’s time.
5. Show tools and methods, not vague claims.
Replace phrases like “improved testing” with “wrote Python test scripts that cut manual QA time by 60%.
6. Quantify wherever possible.
Use percentages, time saved, or defect reductions to prove impact—numbers stick.
7. Address the company’s needs.
Reference a public goal, product, or challenge and explain how your skills move that needle.
8. Use active verbs and tight sentences.
Say “implemented a Jenkins pipeline,” not “was responsible for setting up. ” Active voice reads stronger.
9. Close with a clear next step.
Offer a time range for a call or demo to make it easy to respond.
Actionable takeaway: Draft, trim, and then align each paragraph to a hiring priority with at least one measurable result.
Customization Guide
Strategy 1 — Industry focus (Tech vs. Finance vs.
- •Tech: Emphasize rapid prototyping, integration, and scale. Cite cloud tools (Docker, Kubernetes), CI/CD, and throughput metrics—e.g., “deployed automated tests that reduced deployment failures by 40%.”
- •Finance: Stress reliability, latency, and security. Highlight experience with low-latency systems, transaction volumes, or audit logs—e.g., “maintained 99.99% uptime for trading feed.”
- •Healthcare: Prioritize compliance, validation, and traceability. Reference FDA/ISO processes, validation protocols, and error-rate reductions—e.g., “wrote validation scripts that supported a 510(k) submission.”
Strategy 2 — Company size (Startups vs.
- •Startups: Show breadth and agility. Emphasize multi-role contributions, quick wins, and prototypes—e.g., “built initial automation framework in 6 weeks to enable daily demos.”
- •Corporations: Highlight process, scale, and cross-team leadership. Use metrics on teams, SLAs, and cost savings—e.g., “led a team of 6 and standardized tests across 4 plants, saving $180k/year.”
Strategy 3 — Job level (Entry vs.
- •Entry-level: Spotlight projects, internships, and coursework. Include concrete deliverables and mentor names if possible—e.g., “internship project reduced test time 35% under mentor X.”
- •Senior: Lead with strategy, people management, and ROI. Quantify team size, budgets, timelines, and percentage improvements.
Strategy 4 — Role-specific nuances
- •Controls-heavy roles: Call out PLC brands, ladder logic, and fieldbus experience.
- •Software-focused automation: Emphasize languages, frameworks, and test coverage metrics.
- •Cross-functional roles: Describe stakeholder coordination, release cadence improvements, and training delivered.
Actionable takeaway: For each application, pick 2–3 points from the lists above and rewrite one paragraph to reflect that focus—use a measurable example tailored to the industry, company size, and role level.